


A Prince in Letters

by DiamondsxStags



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Epistolary, F/M, told from seb's pov
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-20 00:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10651503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiamondsxStags/pseuds/DiamondsxStags
Summary: Everyone knows what Sebastian Vael, The Good King of Starkhaven, got up to while in Kirkwall thanks to Varric Tethras. But what is lesser known were his innermost thoughts and feelings, which he poured out into the following letters to his oldest friend, depicting a portrait of the king not seen by the common man, woman or child.





	1. Foreword

It has been ten years since the death of King Sebastian the First, and his life is one that still fascinates us all. From young wild prince to devout Chantry brother, to a king, husband, and father who would inspire loyalty and courage in his people and lead Starkhaven through what has already been called it's most prosperous years. But for the public appearances and speeches, the king remained a figure of mystery for many. In stark contrast to his younger years, after ascending to the throne, his majesty became very private, sharing very little with those outside his circle, and they remained tight lipped, right to their graves. This has added a certain mystique to the king, and everyone and their mother in Starkhaven has long wondered what went on in his head, what he thought and how he felt. Figures such as him, larger than life and near legendary, tend to evoke such reactions. This is what inspired me to look deeper into the life of the king and during my search, I discovered the existence of a large collection of letters, penned by the king himself during his time in Kirkwall, and sent to Reinette Trevelyan, who would later become the Inquisitor, but at that point was simply another Free Marcher noble, and the oldest friend of the then prince.

I do not claim to have the answers, nor do I claim that the following letters will satisfy everyone. But reading them has given me a more in depth look at our dearly departed king, and with the permission of his children, I have copied them so that they may live on and help us all see his majesty in a softer, more human light. He was just as messy, just as emotional as the rest of us, with impulses and fears and desires that many of us have seen in our loved ones. Perhaps, even, in ourselves.


	2. Chapter 2

Reinette,

 

I'm sure that when you read this you will have already heard the news, but I must tell you this myself as I have few others to turn to. My family is dead, murdered by mercenaries, and the throne for Starkhaven lies empty, ready for the taking. The horror that filled me and swallowed my heart when I heard the news cannot be described. My mother and father had hurt no one, had made no enemies, and yet their bodies were bloodied and brutalized, along with my brothers, while I remain safe and whole in Kirkwall. Grand Cleric Elthina herself told me, and I cannot rightly tell you my immediate reaction. Everything went blank, and I felt like I was trapped in the Void.

As I write this I am still wracked with grief and too distraught for words. How could this have happened? And why? But most importantly, who ordered the attack? I am going to contact whoever I can in Starkhaven to learn what Elthina does not know or will not share with me.

In all my life I have never felt so alone. Even though Kirkwall is far from Starkhaven, I never felt apart from it. I still had my family there, my ties to the place of my birth. But now I feel more like a stranger than I first did after arriving in Kirkwall. When I was troubled I could write to my parents but what am I to do now? I cannot burden Elthina with my worries, she has enough to tend to, and I have made no friends here. You are the only one I can speak to, and you are in Ostwick and your options to help me are limited. I have tried praying, spent hours in the Chantry until the candles were nearly gone, and I could not find any peace. How were you able to? Even after everything that was done to you, you can somehow still find some comfort in the Chantry and the Maker and Andraste that is lost to me now.

I know the Maker sometimes places trials in our paths, but this feels like so much more than just a trial. I feel like my entire being has been pierced by arrows and I cannot move without driving them in deeper.

I am lost and alone and have never felt so empty in my life.

Give my regards to your parents, and hold them tighter from now on. You may lose them sooner than you think.

Sebastian.


End file.
